System and method for generating a disguised password based on a real password

ABSTRACT

A system and method for generating a disguised password are provided. The method presets a real password via an input device, selects one or more characters from the real password as a verification code. The method further generates an encryption code corresponding to the verification code according to an encryption algorithm, generates a character string based on the encryption code, and displays a verification box on a display screen to receive an input key from the input device. In addition, the method determines whether the input key matches the encryption code of the character string, and generates a disguised password by replacing the verification code with the encryption code in the real password if the input key matches the encryption code of the character string.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems andmethods for encrypting passwords, and more particularly to a system andmethod for generating a disguised password based on a real password.

2. Description of Related Art

Computers and networks are often protected by passwords. In order togain access to a computing system or a network system, an authorizeduser must enter a password. The computing system or network systemauthenticates the password by comparing the password entered by the userwith a preset password. If the entered password matches the presetpassword, the user is given access. If the entered password does notmatch the preset password, the user is denied access. However, theentered password may be presented or gained by an unauthorized personwhen the user enters the password. The unauthorized person can breakinto the computing system or the network system using the presentedpassword, to steal and/or corrupt data, and damage websites.

Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for overcoming theaforementioned problem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a system forgenerating a disguised password based on a real password.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for generating adisguised password based on a real password by using the system of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example for generating adisguised password based on a real password preset by a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a system 10 forgenerating a disguised password based on a real password preset by auser. In one embodiment, the system 10 may include a input device 1, apassword disguising unit 2, a storage device 3, a display screen 4, andat least one processor 5. The input device 1 is operable to receive areal password that may be preset according to a user's requirement. Theinput device 1 may be a keyboard, a keypad, or a touch screen, forexample. The password disguising unit 2 is operable to select one ormore characters of the real password as a verification code, andgenerate an encryption code corresponding to the verification codeaccording to an encryption algorithm. In one embodiment, the encryptionalgorithm may be a known encryption algorithm, such as a DAS algorithmor a MD5 algorithm, for example. The password disguising unit 2 isfurther operable to generate a disguised password according to theencryption code, and display the disguised password on the displayscreen 4.

In one example with respect to FIG. 3, if a user presets a characterstring “123qwa” as a real password, the password disguising unit 2 mayselect one or more characters from the real password as the verificationcode, such as “3,” “a” and “3a.” The verification code “3” maycorrespond to an encryption code “@,” the verification code “a” maycorrespond to an encryption code “M,” and the verification code “3a” maycorrespond to an encryption code “@M.” When the real password “123qwa”is input from the input device 1, the password disguising unit 2generates a disguised password that may be “12@qwa,” “123qwM” or“12@qwM,” and displays the disguised password to the display screen 4.After the user gets the disguised password by the password disguisingunit 2, then the user can use the disguised password instead of the realpassword to enter a computing system or a network system.

The storage device 3 is operable to store a plurality of encryptioncodes, such as “@,” “M,” and “@M.” In one embodiment, the storage device3 may be an internal storage device, such as a random access memory(RAM) for temporary storage of information and/or a read only memory(ROM) for permanent storage of information. The storage device 3 mayalso be an external storage device, such as a hard disk, a storage card,or a data storage medium.

In one embodiment, the password disguising unit 2 may include a keyvalue encrypting module 21, a input key monitoring module 22, averification code identifying module 23, and a disguised passwordgenerating module 24. One or more computerized codes of the functionmodules 21-24 may be stored in the storage device 3, and executed by theat least one processor 5. In general, the word “module,” as used herein,refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection ofsoftware instructions, written in a programming language, such as, forexample, Java, C, or assembly. One or more software instructions in themodules may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. The modulesdescribed herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardwaremodules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium orother storage device.

The key value encrypting module 21 is operable to preset a real passwordvia the input device 1, and select one or more characters from the realpassword as a verification code. In one example with respect to FIG. 3,if a user presets a character string “123qwa” as a real password, thekey value encrypting module 21 may select the one or more characters,such as “3,” “a” and “3a” for example, from the real password as theverification code. In addition, the key value encrypting module 21 isoperable to set an encryption code corresponding to the verificationcode according to an encryption algorithm, and store the encryption codeinto the storage device 3. In one embodiment, the verification code “3”may correspond to an encryption code “@,” the verification code “a” maycorrespond to an encryption code “M,” and the verification code “3a” maycorrespond to an encryption code “@M.”

The input key monitoring module 22 is operable to monitor and obtain thereal password when the real password is inputted from the input device1. In one embodiment, when a user enters a real password, such as“123qwa,” for example, the input key monitoring module 22 obtains thereal password from the input device 1.

The verification code identifying module 23 is operable to generate acharacter string based on the encryption code when the real password isinput from the input device 1, and display a verification box on thedisplay screen 4 to receive an input key from the input device 1. Inorder to authenticate the real password, the verification codeidentifying module 23 generates a character string, such as “8% kTMG,”based on an encryption code (e.g., the encryption code “M”). Theverification code identifying module 23 is further operable to determinewhether the input key matches the encryption code of the characterstring. In one example, the encryption code “M” is included in thegenerated character string, therefore the input key “a” is needed toinput from the verification box. When the input key does not match theencryption code of the character string, the verification codeidentifying module 23 continues to display a verification box on thedisplay screen 4 to receive another input key from the input device 1.

The disguised password generating module 24 is operable to generate adisguised password by replacing the verification code with theencryption code in the real password if the input key matches theencryption code of the character string. Accordingly, the disguisedpassword generating module 24 displays the disguised password on thedisplay screen 4. In one embodiment, if the user enters the input key“a” from the verification box, the disguised password generating module24 determines that the encryption code “M” corresponds to theverification code “a,” and replaces the verification code “a” with theencryption code “M” in the real password “123qaw,” so as to generate thedisguised password “123qMw.” Then the user can use the disguisedpassword “123qMw” to access a computer system or a network system. Ifthe disguised password “123qMw” is presented or gained by anunauthorized person, he/she can not enter the computer system using thedisguised password, since the real password is “123qaw” instead of“123qMw.”

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for generating adisguised password based on a real password by using the system 10 asdescribed in FIG. 1. Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks maybe added, others removed, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In block S20, the key value encrypting module 21 presets a real passwordvia the input device 1. The real password can be predefined according toa user's requirement, such as “123qwa,” for example. In block S21, thekey value encrypting module 21 selects one or more characters from thereal password as a verification code. In one example with respect toFIG. 3, if a user presets a character string “123qwa” as a realpassword, the key value encrypting module 21 may select the one or morecharacters, such as “3,” “a” and “3a” for example, from the realpassword as the verification code.

In block S22, the key value encrypting module 21 generates an encryptioncode corresponding to the verification code according to an encryptionalgorithm, and stores the encryption code into the storage device 3. Asmentioned above, the encryption algorithm may be a common encryptionalgorithm, such as a DAS algorithm or a MD5 algorithm, for example. Inone embodiment, the verification code “3” may correspond to anencryption code “@,” the verification code “a” may correspond to anencryption code “M,” and the verification code “3a” may correspond to anencryption code “@M.”

In block S23, the input key monitoring module 22 monitors and obtainsthe real password when the real password is inputted from the inputdevice 1. In one embodiment, when a user enters a real password, such as“123qwa,” for example, the input key monitoring module 22 obtains thereal password from the input device 1.

In block S24, the verification code identifying module 23 generates acharacter string based on the encryption code when the real password isinput from the input device 1. In one embodiment, the verification codeidentifying module 23 generates a character string, such as “8% kTMG,”based on an encryption code (e.g., the encryption code “M”).

In block S25, the verification code identifying module 23 displays averification box on the display screen 4 to receive an input key fromthe input device 1. In one example, the encryption code “M” is includedin the generated character string, therefore the user needs to input theinput key “a” from the verification box.

In block S26, the verification code identifying module 23 determineswhether the input key matches the encryption code of the characterstring. If the input key does not match the encryption code of thecharacter string, the verification code identifying module 23 continuesto display a verification box on the display screen 4 to receive anotherinput key from the input device 1.

Otherwise, if the input key matches the encryption code of the characterstring, in block S27, the disguised password generating module 24generates a disguised password by replacing the verification code withthe encryption code in the real password, and displays the disguisedpassword on the display screen 4. In one embodiment, when the userinputs the input key “a” from the verification box, the disguisedpassword generating module 24 determines that the encryption code “M”corresponds to the verification code “a,” and replaces the verificationcode “a” with the encryption code “M” in the real password “123qaw” togenerate the disguised password “123qMw.” As such, the user can use thedisguised password “123qMw” to access a computer system or a networksystem. If the disguised password “123qMw” is presented or gained by anunauthorized person, he/she can not enter the computer system using thedisguised password, since the real password is “123qaw” instead of“123qMw.”

In block S28, the input key monitoring module 22 determines whether anyother real password is inputted from the input device 1. If any otherreal password is inputted from the input device 1, the flow returns toblock S23 as described above. If no real password is inputted from theinput device 1, the flow ends.

All of the processes described above may be embodied in, and fullyautomated via, functional code modules executed by one or more generalpurpose processors of computing devices. The functional code modules maybe stored in any type of readable medium or other storage devices. Someor all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in specialized thecomputing devices.

Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure havebeen specifically described, the present disclosure is not to beconstrued as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications maybe made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope andspirit of the present disclosure.

1. A system for generating a disguised password, the system comprising:a password disguising unit stored in a storage device; and at least onecomputer processor that executes the password disguising unit, thepassword disguising unit comprising: a key value encrypting module thatpresets a real password received from an input device, selects one ormore characters from the real password as a verification code, andgenerates an encryption code corresponding to the verification codeaccording to an encryption algorithm; a verification code identifyingmodule that generates a character string including the encryption codewhen the real password is input from the input device, displays averification box on a display screen to receive an input key from theinput device, and determines whether the input key matches theencryption code of the character string; and a disguised passwordgenerating module that generates a disguised password by replacing theverification code with the encryption code in the real password if theinput key matches the encryption code of the character string, whereinthe disguised password comprises unselected characters of the realpassword and the encryption code.
 2. The system according to claim 1,further comprising an input key monitoring module that monitors andobtains the real password from the input device.
 3. The system accordingto claim 1, wherein the key value encrypting module further stores theencryption code into the storage device.
 4. The system according toclaim 1, wherein the input key monitoring module determines whether anyother real password is inputted from the input device.
 5. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the input device is a keyboard, a keypad,or a touch screen.
 6. A method for generating a disguised password, themethod comprising: presetting a real password received from an inputdevice; selecting one or more characters from the real password as averification code; setting an encryption code corresponding to theverification code according to an encryption algorithm; generating acharacter string including the encryption code when the real password isinput from the input device; displaying a verification box on a displayscreen to receive an input key from the input device; determiningwhether the input key matches the encryption code of the characterstring; and generating a disguised password by replacing theverification code with the encryption code in the real password if theinput key matches the encryption code of the character string, whereinthe disguised password comprises unselected characters of the realpassword and the encryption code.
 7. The method according to claim 6,further comprising: storing the encryption code into a storage device;and displaying the disguised password on the display screen to anauthorized user.
 8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:determining whether any other real password is input from the inputdevice; and monitoring and obtaining the real password if any other realpassword is input from the input device.
 9. The method according toclaim 6, wherein the input device is a keyboard, a keypad, or a touchscreen.
 10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium havingstored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor of acomputing device, cause the computing device to perform a method forgenerating a disguised password, the method comprising: presetting areal password received from an input device; selecting one or morecharacters from the real password as a verification code; setting anencryption code corresponding to the verification code according to anencryption algorithm; generating a character string including theencryption code; displaying a verification box on a display screen toreceive an input key from the input device; determining whether theinput key matches the encryption code of the character string; andgenerating a disguised password by replacing the verification code withthe encryption code in the real password if the input key matches theencryption code of the character string, wherein the disguised passwordcomprises unselected characters of the real password and the encryptioncode.
 11. The storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the methodfurther comprises: storing the encryption code into a storage device;and displaying the disguised password on the display screen to anauthorized user.
 12. The storage medium according to claim 10, whereinthe method further comprises: determining whether any other realpassword is input from the input device; and monitoring and obtainingthe real password if any other real password is input from the inputdevice.
 13. The storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the inputdevice is a keyboard, a keypad, or a touch screen.